Whether you crave a grilled steak or smoked salmon, you may think that you can only make these on an outdoor grill. You don’t need to have a backyard or lug around a heavy grill to enjoy some of your favorite grilled foods.
As long as you have a kitchen counter, you can grill indoors. From a space-saving George Foreman to a Breville grill perfect for sandwiches, see how these indoor grills rate.
Breville BGR820XL
Breville’s powerful 1800-watt grill can offer 310 – 450 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking all your favorite breakfast and grill foods. Really, there’s not much this grill can’t handle. You can open it partway for panini mode or all the way for a double-sided grill mode, with 6 different height selections and an adjustable plate tilt so you can make sure grease quickly spills into the drip pan. The Breville BGR820XL also has three settings for low heat, sandwich-making, and high heat/searing for general temperature selection. Plus, you don’t really have to know how to clean a grill to maintain this one.
Hamilton Beach 25361
If the Breville model is way too expensive for you, Hamilton Beach offers an excellent grill at a very affordable price. The grill space is 118 square inches on this model, which is enough to handle half a dozen hamburger patties or the equivalent. The Hamilton Beach 25361‘s design is also easy to understand and operate safely, with a little viewing window in the top so you can watch the food while the grill is closed. However, that low price means there are not really any other features here. A controls temperature, and that’s about it. That makes this grill ideal for fans of simplicity.
Cuisinart GR-300WS
If you like to grill all the time, this Cuisinart model is an excellent addition to your kitchen. It offers traditional grilling, panini press, sear, full griddle, and grill/griddle combinations (240 total square inches) to work with, as well as dual temperature control for controlling each side separately (up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit). Both grill and griddle plastic are removable and reversible for saving time or quick cleaning. We also like the sturdy design and bright LED indicators, which make controls easier to use. Note that the price of the Cuisinart GR-300WS benefits from a summer deal—if you don’t catch it on sale, it’s around $365.
Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill
This indoor grill takes things up a notch and also serves as an air fryer. You can also roast, bake, and dehydrate all in one appliance. It circulates super-hot air (up to 500 degrees) around your food, creating the perfect sear, while the grates create char marks.
The Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill comes with a smart probe, which you place in your food, and the Foodi grill can alert you when your meal is ready. What’s not to love? While the Foodi grill is versatile, easy to clean, and it makes awesome food creations, the cooking area is a bit small.
DeLonghi Livenza All Day Grill CGH1020D
If you’re looking for a grill for throwing serious parties or catering, this deluxe DeLonghi model could be exactly what you need. It comes with swappable grid plates that can support pancakes, waffles, paninis, steak, and more (hence the “all day” part of the grill), and five different cooking modes depending on what you’re doing. There’s also plenty of space — when both grids are down, it spans 14.5 x 18-inches, although it’s only half this size when in panini mode.
The controls on the DeLonghi Livenza All Day Grill are also impressive, with a clear LED screen for monitoring precise temperatures and durable control knobs that feel solid. The design also includes an adjustable hinge that’s made to cook thoroughly without squashing sandwiches or meat in the process. Add in the oil drip cup and that it goes in the dishwasher when you’re done, and this is one excellent grill.
George Foreman
Some of you are probably interested in a grill you can use outdoors when appropriate. This GF grill is specifically designed for indoor/outdoor use. Now, it still requires a source of electricity to work, but it comes with a durable cover designed to protect the food (and heat) against the elements. The George Foreman also has a particularly large 240 square inches of grill space, ideal for cooking a lot of food at once (compared to other indoor grills). As you can guess, that makes this grill excellent at tailgate parties, with the added bonus that you can use it at home, too. Extra features include a plug-in temperature control probe and a handy removable stand so you don’t need to find a table every time you use the grill.
